The invention relates to a nut-like element for fixing in an interior space of a profile or suchlike workpiece, having a longitudinal extent exceeding the width of an insertion cross section, in particular a connecting device for connecting a first workpiece having the interior space to another workpiece by means of a screw or suchlike member, the shank of which passes through an opening of the workpiece and can be inserted into a recess of the nut-like element, which is located in the interior space of the workpiece and is made of a metallic material.
In particular in the case of metallic hollow bodies whose interior space is not accessible from outside, the fastening of a profile or the like by a screw still involves difficulties.
It is certainly known to fix pictures, shelves or the like to hollow walls of buildings using screws by inserting a plastic plug into the cavity behind a hole, said plastic plug then being deformed by an inserted hook, a screw or the like and being brought to bear as an abutment against the inner surface of the wall. However, it is not advantageous to use such plastic plugs when in particular metallic profiles of the type described are to be connected to one another.
Publication DE-GM 92 15 843 of the applicant, for example, discloses an element of the type described at the beginning. This sliding block is of roughly parallelepiped design and has at least two flank walls, located opposite one another and inclined at an angle, and a spring member which is fixed at one end on one of the flank walls and reaches across the narrower surface of the element with its free end; the latter is arranged at a distance from a surface of the sliding block in the relaxed state of the spring member.
In the knowledge of this prior art, the aim of the invention is to provide nut-like elements of the type mentioned at the beginning which firstly largely simplify the insertion into a hollow body and secondly can be produced in a favorable manner.